Duck Duck Goose – The Inaugural Year
The First Annual Duck Duck Goose in Wynwood, Miami took place on Saturday, June 4th. This Duck Extravaganza featured duck inspired dishes from 12 of South Florida’s finest chefs. The ducks prepared at this year’s Duck Duck Goose came from Lake Meadows Naturals in Ocoee, Florida. In its inaugural year, Duck Duck Goose raised funds for the Epilepsy Foundation of Florida, the principal agency epilepsy programs and serviced sponsored by the State of Florida.
The Duck Confit Mac n Cheese Grilled Cheese by Chef Brian Mullins from Ms. Cheezious was one of my favorites of the night. Duck Confit Mac N Cheese is stuffed between two slices of bread making one hell of a unique grilled cheese. The Mac n Cheese features a duck fat gouda mornay and duck speck crumble. Ms. Cheezious crazy duck mac n cheese grilled cheese was probably the heartiest serving at Duck Duck Goose. The crusty exterior of the grilled bread delivered an excellent texture to contrast the soft, creamy interior of the grilled cheese sandwich. What I enjoyed about this duck confit mac n cheese grilled cheese is that you taste the duck but it is not overwhelming. There is an instant duck flavor coming from the duck confit and from the duck fat gouda mornay that melds well with the richness of the gouda cheese.
Foie Gras and Rabbit Pave’ by Brad Kilgore of Alter was one of the more decadent and interesting bites at Duck Duck Goose. This dish is composed of fermented sunchoke yogurt, mushroom dashi, yellow raisins, anise hyssop and preserved marigold petals. The initial flavors are fatty and the soft, mushy textures that come predominately from the Foie Gras. The bite of Foie Gras and Rabbit Pave’ is topped with a sweet preserve that helps cut right through the richness of the Foie Gras.
The Arroz Con Pato by Chef Aaron Brooks of Four Seasons was an excellent rendition of a classic. Arroz bomba was served with pieces of duck, peas, giant corn kernels, and carrots. The flavors in Chef Brooks’ Arroz Con Pato were very traditional with Latin flair. The Arroz Con Pato was served under a medley of freshly sliced peppers, onions, and cilantro which added crunch and freshness to the dish.
The French Toast by Josh Gripper of The Dutch was the only take of dessert(or Brunch?) that incorporated duck and one of my favorite of the night. French Toast square strips are fried in duck fat and served with compressed honeydew melon, duck prosciutto, mint chantilly, and a drizzle of caramel. This was food utterly delicious! There were several elements on this dish that I really enjoyed. The French toast is crispy on the exterior and you get plenty of duck flavors from being deep fried in duck fat. The interior is very soft and mushy. The saltiness of the duck prosciutto pairs well with the sweetness of the honeydew melon. The mint foam delivers fresh aroma and crispness to the bite. There were many elements to this French toast which is why it was one of my favorites of the night!
The Duck Croquette’s by Will Crandall of Izzy’s was one of the most surprising bites of the night. Duck Croquette is served with oyster sauce whipped chevre, lemon oil, and shiso. The actual croquette is crispy on the outside and dense on the inside, not soft and mushy like a typical croquette. I actually thought that the whipped chevre that the croquette lays on had cream cheese in it but it doesn’t! That whipped oyster sauce was an excellent pairing for the croquette.
The Duckdouille Dogs with ramp chimmichurri by Patrick Rebohlz of Quality Meats delivered a savory, yet safe flavor profile. Duck sausage is served on hot dog buns with a drizzle of chimmichurri sauce. The duck had a very sausage like flavor and texture, simple but executed well and comfortably tasty.
The Tamal Colado de Pato by Chef Steve Santana of Taquiza was the biggest surprise of the night. I wasn’t sure what to expect from a duck tamal but Chef Santana’s interpretation of a duck tamal was spot on. The tamal is essentially a deconstructed tamal that featured a piece of duck with a deep reddish brown colored sauce served over the tamal. The composition of this dish reminded me of a classic short rib and mashed potato dish. The duck served with a reduction glaze deliver the savory aspect of the meal with intense richness. The tamal is underneath to coat the richness of the meat and take things down a notch. The tamal itself was very dry and pasty, I needed water afterwards! But it was an excellent element to pair with the savory duck.
The Scotch Duck Egg with Duck Sausage by Babe Froman of Fine Sausages was my personal contender for one of the best Duck dishes of the night at Duck Duck Goose. A duck egg is covered in a duck sausage then covered in bread crumbs and deep fried. The entire egg is sliced in half and served with cracklings and mustard sauce. There were so many delicious elements to this Duck Egg-Sausage plate. As you bite into the egg, then you feel the crunchy fried exterior and then the soft textures from the sausage and the egg. The cracklings add another layer of crunchy texture. The Scotch Duck Egg with Duck Sausage is straight food porn, it is as scrumptious to eat as it is to look at.
